


No Place I'd Rather Be

by what_about_the_fish



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Hannibal Lecter is a Cannibal, Little Space, Little!Will, M/M, Nightmares, Non-Sexual Age Play, Tears, Time Out, Will knows and doesn't care, and lots of snuggles, daddy!Hannibal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-23
Updated: 2019-10-23
Packaged: 2020-12-28 18:48:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21141479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/what_about_the_fish/pseuds/what_about_the_fish
Summary: His eyelids felt heavy and the weight of the day started to crush him again before he dropped the towel to the floor.  Hannibal had selected his favourite dog print flannel pants, his fingers drifted over the soft fabric and he giggled when he petted the sausage dog that lay across the knee.  A fuzzy cloud pushed at the margins of his brain that held too much, and Will found himself dropping down as he slipped on the sleep pants.  Pulling them up he realised Hannibal had run them in the dryer before setting them out. The cosy warmth curled his toes.





	No Place I'd Rather Be

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a self indulgent age play fic. I love this dynamic and will die on this hill.  
I love a world where Will knows and doesn't care, so here we are!  
Please enjoy!
> 
> Big thank you to Whiskeyandspite for cheerleading and beta reading!
> 
> Please go check out the fanart that the wonderful Juneko made for this over on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Junekohmy/status/1246320577113186305)

As soon as he walked through the door to Hannibal’s house, Will was able to breathe. What was supposed to be a normal day teaching, had turned into a new kind of hell that had Jack hounding him harder than any of the team. A new Ripper murder and of course Jack needed Will to look, _to see_. 

But Will had seen and didn’t need to look, it wasn’t the scene that had him tense beyond words and his insides coiled so tight he thought he might snap into a million pieces. He could look at the Ripper scenes now with a different kind of sight and frankly they were more a piece of art than a horror. 

When Jack, however, was on his rampage, Will just wanted to run and hide. He was over this game Jack had him playing, he was over being a dog for this man. So walking into his home, _their_ home and shucking off his jacket felt like he was peeling off the outside world and falling into the safe arms of Hannibal, before he even saw the man. 

Will called out to Hannibal, and hearing his reply come from the kitchen he smiled to himself and wandered through the house to him. Hannibal opened his arms to give Will a hug, but Will just shook his head.

“I feel too dirty,” He offered by way of explanation, “Need to shower, then there is no place I'd rather be.” 

Hannibal nodded, casting an appraising eye over Will, “Would you like me to set out some clothes for you?” He offered.

Will’s shoulders relaxed a fraction at the offer, and with a slight blush rising to his cheeks he said “Please.” over his shoulder as he retreated to their room.

Will took longer than was entirely necessary in the shower, the dirt and grime from the day long since washed down the drain, now he felt as if he was washing layers of his masks off, sloughing away the obligation and frustration of Jack’s will. 

He stepped out of the shower and into a warm fluffy towel, which he wrapped around his shoulders, the giant fabric making him feel small, and went to the bedroom. Hannibal was not there, but as promised a selection of clothing was laying across the bed for Will to put on.

His eyelids felt heavy and the weight of the day started to crush him again before he dropped the towel to the floor. Hannibal had selected his favourite dog print flannel pants, his fingers drifted over the soft fabric and he giggled when he petted the sausage dog that lay across the knee. A fuzzy cloud pushed at the margins of his brain that held too much, and Will found himself dropping down as he slipped on the sleep pants. Pulling them up he realised Hannibal had run them in the dryer before setting them out. The cosy warmth curled his toes. 

The sweater was new, Will hadn’t seen it before, it was a heavy knit of the softest wool and looked like something Hannibal would wear if he were a sailor. 

“Captain, Daddy.” Will whispered, then his face crinkled in humor. 

The sweater was too big on Will, and smelt entirely of Hannibal, as the sleeves slipped down his arms they kept going engulfing his hands. Will swayed a little then his fingers curled into balls inside the sleeves. Everything was cosy and warm, the only thing missing was Daddy.

Will ran down the stairs remembering half way that Daddy didn’t like running in the house and he let out a squeak as he came to a stop then walked as slowly as possible on tippy toes the rest of the way, Hoping Daddy hadn’t heard him running.

“There’s my beautiful boy,” Hannibal appraised as Will entered the kitchen.

He opened his arms and Will ran into his embrace. 

“I forgot, Daddy.” Will said from where his head was nestled into Hannibal’s shoulder. 

“What did you forget, sweet one?” Hannibal asked.

“I ran downstairs, but it’s s’okay cause I ‘membered and then I walked so you don’t need to tell me off, okay?” Will said, his face now looking up at Hannibal, trying to check if he was in trouble.

Hannibal’s eyes crinkled at his little one, never able to keep a secret even when it might get him in trouble. 

“I just wanted a cuddle.” Will added, then squished his face and eyes tight closed waiting for punishment. 

His poor boy had been mistreated in the past and Hannibal swore he would rip out the throat of that person if Will ever let him know who hurt him. 

He just squeezed him tighter and said, “Thank you for telling me, Will. You remembered and that’s what matters.” Hannibal cupped Will’s face in his hands to ensure he understood, “I was excited to see you too. I’ve been waiting to cuddle my sweet boy all day.”

Will’s eyes widened in awe, “Really, Daddy?” 

“Really.” Hannibal replied, then wrapped him up in his arms again and whispered, “There is nowhere else I’d rather be.”

Will giggled as Hannibal’s breath tickled the hairs on his neck, “Silly, Daddy, what about the kitchen?” 

“Even more than the kitchen, Will. You’re my favourite place.” He said, then snuck his hands up under Will’s arms and tickled him lightly.

Will crumpled into a giggling heap trying to get away but also relishing the attention. Will’s face flushed with excitement and when it got too much he squealed “Daddddeeeeee stop pleaseeee”

Hannibal acquiesced, pulling Will up to his feet and straightening his clothes. Will’s thumb moved towards his mouth but he tucked it away inside the huge jumper at the last minute. Hannibal had been trying to get him to stop for a while now and Will was doing his best to remember. He received a small smile from Hannibal for his actions and Hannibal scruffed Will’s hair as he turned back to the kitchen. 

“Why don’t you go do some colouring while I finish up dinner?” Hannibal said, as Will stood in the kitchen door sucking on the corner of the sweater sleeve. 

“The crayons and paper are on Daddy’s desk, you can bring them in here if you’d like.” 

Will perked up at this, he didn’t want to play by himself, he wanted to play with Daddy, but he was busy and Will knew better than to complain when Daddy was cooking. But being close by was just as good. 

He started to run to the office when Hannibal’s stern “Will.” brought him to a stop and he walked the rest of the way unconsciously covering his bottom with his hands as he went. The flame of anger inside Hannibal flared at that action as he returned to his meal prep.

Will set up his things on the kitchen counter and started to colour in his Spot the Dog colouring book, picking out the best dog coloured crayons because dogs were most definitely not purple. 

Hannibal finished plating up dinner for Will and himself and sent the boy to sit up at the table. Will looked excitedly at his plate, gone were the fancy sauces and frilly vegetables that made his stomach feel funny. 

“What’s this, Daddy?” Will asked dubiously.

“Crumbed chicken thigh with thrice cooked potatoes and Boston Beans.” Hannibal replied, smiling when Will squinted at the food to find the hidden vegetables.

“Chicken nuggets and chips?” Will replied.

Hannibal laughed, “Yes, Will, I suppose it is.” He replied as he took up Will’s napkin and tucked it into his shirt. The boy squirmed a bit but didn’t make too much fuss as he began to pick up his knife and fork then looked to Hannibal expectantly. “You may start, dear boy,” Was Hannibal’s reply.

Will was just getting the hang of cutting up his food and diligently sliced up his chicken all while sticking his tongue out slightly in concentration. Hannibal’s food was kinda stinky but Will didn’t mind because his Daddy had cooked him nuggets. If he wasn’t allowed to have ‘donalds then this was surely the best alternative. Even the thick red beans tasted good and Will tucked in heartily. 

Will started to fidget as Hannibal was finishing up his meal. He tried his best to sit up and be a big boy but his attention wandered so quickly. He was now sitting on his hands swinging his legs and only narrowly avoiding hitting his feet under the table top. Will had managed to get red sauce all down his napkin and down his chin, but seemed oblivious to the sticky mess. 

“Will, you may be excused if you take your plate to the kitchen and go wash your hands and face. Do you think you can do that for Daddy?” Hannibal asked.

Will’s face lit up and he nodded enthusiastically. He jumped down from his chair and carefully picked up his plate with two hands, his little tongue once again making an appearance at the concentration he was taking in his task. 

Hannibal finished up his meal, keeping an ear out for the sound of running water, which shut off far too quickly for Will to have made a real effort washing up. Hannibal shook his head and rose with his own plates to intercept Will in the kitchen.

“I did it, Daddy!” Will announced when he saw Hannibal. He was surreptitiously drying his hands on his sleep pants. The only thing detering his look of pride was the sauce all over his chin. 

“Are you sure, sweet one?” Hannibal teased, licking his thumb and wiping away a big glob from his chin. Will squirmed away from the dreaded licked thumb, then blushed when Hannibal presented the mess. 

“Maybe I missed a bit?” Will spoke from under heavy lashes. That face would be the death of Hannibal.

“Come on, let's go to the bathroom together, and get you cleaned up.” Hannibal said as he herded Will to the downstairs washroom.

When Will was up to Hannibal’s standard of clean, Will burst from the washroom to gather up his colouring things. “Daddy, will you do some colouring with me pleeease?” He was already skidding towards the lounge room when Hannibal caught him by the shoulders preventing a near collision with the door frame. 

“What have I told you about running in the house, Will?” He said sternly.

Will’s eyes instantly filled with tears and he bit his lip and studied his toes. “No running in the house, Daddy, I know i just forgots again.” 

“You could have hurt yourself, Will. I don’t set these rules to be cruel. It’s because I love you.”

Will looked up then, flushing and sniffling, in his distress his thumb was now in his mouth. “I’m sorry, Daddy.” He held his arms out tentatively for a cuddle and Hannibal relented scooped him up. “Does this mean I won’t be punisheded?” was mumbled into Hannibal’s neck.

Hannibal held Will back at arm's length, “Sorry, sweet one but you forgot too many times today. 10 minutes in time out on the stairs.” He said turning Will to the staircase and patting him on the bottom to get him moving. “Go on, think about the reasons why Daddy makes rules and why it’s important to obey them.” Will’s eyes were overflowing with tears now, and Hannibal added “Then we can do some colouring in together.”

Will bobbed his head, thumb stuck resolutely in his mouth and he sat on the bottom steps with his knees to his chest and gently swayed while staring at his feet. Ten minutes may as well have been ten hours and Will wallowed in self loathing and distress. He knew Daddy was right but he hated being in time out, he always felt so astray, like maybe this time it would be like before and no one would come back for him. Never be forgiven, never be a good boy. He hiccuped through his sobs now and almost didn’t hear when Hannibal called his name from the lounge room.

Hannibal called a second time and Will heard, picking himself up, he walked to where Hannibal was sat, his face was all red and his eyes were puffy. Hannibal was sat in a big loveseat and he beckoned Will into his lap. Will took the offered hand and leapt into Hannibal’s arms, his sobs renewing as he said “I’m sorry, Daddy.” over and over again. 

Hannibal just ran his hands up and down Will’s back soothing his poor boy. “That’s it Will, all is forgiven now, you sat very well and Daddy is very proud of you. Daddy loves you still.” 

“You promise?” Came muffled from Hannibal’s chest.

“Promise, to the moon and back.” Was Hannibal’s reply.

Will settled fairly quick after that and soon his breaths were leveling out to be precariously close to sleep.

“I think it’s bedtime, don’t you?” Hannibal said. 

Will poked his head out from where it had been hiding under Hannibal’s arm, “But i’m not tired.” He said, his drooping eyelids and slurred words betraying him. 

“I think you are. Come on, Winston will be wondering where you are.” Will perked up at this and slowly got out of Hannibal’s lap with a little grumbling and took Hannibal’s hand as he led Will to his little room. 

Will’s room was painted a sky blue, Hannibal had added the stippled clouds on a whim one weekend when Will was away on a particularly arduous case. His boy had loved it, and soon he had a galaxy sheet set and constellation nightlight to complete the look. 

Will jumped between the sheets and Hannibal brought over his giant stuffed dog, Winston. Will curled himself around the stuffy making it the little spoon to his big spoon. “Daddy?” Will asked as Hannibal pulled the blankets up around him and tucked them in tightly leaving just a head of dark curls peeping out on a milkyway pillow.

“Yes, Will?” Hannibal replied. 

“Can you leave the light on please?” 

Hannibal always left the light on and yet his boy still asked every night. The trepidation spoke of nights in the dark, ones where he couldn’t escape, couldn't find the light. 

“Of course I can.” Hannibal replied as he switched off the big light, started the nightlight and the world of stars engulfed the room. “Would you like to hear the story of Canis Major?”

“What’s Cc.. casis major?”

“_Canis_ Major is the Big Dog, see there, that bright star?” Hannibal pointed to a spot on the ceiling. “That’s Sirus, the dog star.” 

Will’s eyes grew large in the low light, “Big dog like Winston?” He asked.

“Bigger than Winston, his name was Laelaps and he was the biggest, fastest dog in the world. He was a gift from Zues himself. He found his way to the stars when he was caught in an eternal chase with a troublesome fox. These two foes were equally matched in speed and cunning, so Zues put an end to their chase by turning them to stone and sending them to the heavens.” Hannibal told the story while he watched Will’s eyes start to droop.

“Sweet dreams, my dear one.” Hannibal whispered to Will’s sleeping form. He left the door ajar and turned on the table lamp in the hall as he retreated back to the kitchen to clean up.

Will was drenched to the bone shivering as he searched the house, he was looking for someone and he was scared, but he didn’t know who. Every door he opened led somewhere new he was in his old childhood bedroom then the morgue at the FBI, next he was in the antler room at the Hobs property. Each door had his heart in his mouth and he could feel his hands tremble where they held his gun. 

His final destination was somewhere he should have felt safe, Hannibal’s kitchen was sterile and empty, all Will could hear was the dripping of water from his sodden body and the beat of his heart thundering in his ears. He wanted to call out but his throat wouldn’t work, he looked down and his gun was gone, his hands seemed too small now the room too big. 

It was Hannibal that appeared in front of him, the cries he wanted to let out dried up in his mouth, his hands flew up to protect himself from blows that never came. It was Hannibal and it wasn’t, the face drifted in and out, fuzzy like static. A part of him knew Hannibal wouldn’t make him feel like this but that part was swiftly drowning in terror.

Hannibal reached out to embrace Will, every muscle in his body screamed out not to move, every fiber of his being knew he should run from this man, this monster who wore Hannibal’s body as a suit. But it always happened this way and Will could no more deny the man than stop breathing. 

He moved into the man’s embrace, still the scream would not come but he felt the tears fall, as he waited for it to happen. His face held tight in one hand, a feign of concern, of love in the monsters eyes. 

Then he ripped out Will’s insides.

Will woke with a gasp, he felt as if he was still treading water, trying to reach the surface and take a breath. He was tangled in his sheets and they were soaked. As his awareness came back slowly he stared at the mess he sat in. The stench of urine was strong, everything was wet and clung to him as if to pull him back under. 

Will rolled off the bed and fell to the floor, he fought the urge to stick his thumb in his mouth, he fought to be big, to be Will the profiler, Will the man. Shame stung his cheeks as he fought back a sob and relented with a thumb in his mouth. Daddy would be so angry with him, he wasn’t a baby and only babies wet the bed. Through hiccuped breathes he struggled against the fog to gather up the sheets and take them downstairs to the laundry.

He held the big load in his arms, and took the stairs on tiptoes so as not to wake Daddy. No, not Daddy, Hannibal. He could do this, he had to, or Daddy wouldn’t love him anymore. 

The world still felt so big and he felt himself sway with his fight to pull out of his little state. His tears were turning into sobs as he pushed the washing into the machine, but in his watery vision he missed his grasp on the power and it fell to the floor. 

Will’s cry echoed in the small room, and he crumpled to the floor his damp pants clinging to him and turning cold against the marble tiles. He shivered as he hugged his knees tight and let go of the tears, unable to hold back anymore. He didn’t know how long he was like that, Will had disappeared to another place filled with only terror and shame. But he was pulled back by soothing words in a deep reassuring tone. 

He opened his eyes to see Daddy crouched down in front of him. “Will, there you are. What’s my sweet boy doing down here all on his own?” 

Will forgot everything and clambered into Hannibal’s arms but when he moved he remembered he was wet and he pushed away almost as fast.

“S-s-sorry Daddy, I-I can clean it up. It was an accident.” He hiccuped while looking down at the floor.

“Did you have a nightmare, dear one?” Hannibal asked, but when he saw that Will flinched at the question he quickly added, “It’s alright Will, I’m not angry with you. I just want to make it all better, okay?”

Will looked up, suspicion written in his features. “I-I-I tried to be big a-a-and clean up but-” He stammered through his tears.

Hannibal interrupted him by wrapping Will back up in a hug and a soft blanket that Will thought must have magically appeared. 

“But I'll ruin it, Daddy, I’m dirty.” Will protested against the warmth that was now seeping back into his frozen body. 

“Don’t you worry about that, Will. Daddy will make it all better. First let’s get you upstairs and cleaned up, let me worry about everything else.” Hannibal pulled Will to his feet then lifted him up so Will could wrap his legs around his waist and walked as if Will didn’t weigh a thing up the stairs and into the bathroom that adjourned his room.

He sat Will on the toilet lid and started the bath, then helped his boy out of the cold wet clothes, depositing them out of sight, he then wrapped the blanket around his shoulders again and began to hum a tune while he checked the water temperature and added some bubbles.

When the bath was ready he helped Will in, soothing him the whole time. Hannibal washed his boy gently, murmuring words of praise and comfort. 

Will’s eyelids were drooping heavily as he let Daddy wash him, his tear swollen face felt heavy and sore. 

“There you go, my sweet one, all fresh and clean. Up you get, I think I should get your Thomas pajamas from your room and we will have a sleepover.” Hannibal murmured as he dried Will off with a big fluffy towel.

Will was too far gone to put up any form of protest only nodding his head and stuffing his thumb in his mouth. When he was dressed again Hannibal lifted Will into their big bed and settled in beside him nestling Will in the crook of his arm. Will had been silent since the bath but looked up at Hannibal from where his head lay on his chest and asked in a sleepy tone, “Do you still love me?”

Hannibal’s heart broke at his boys utter dejection, that flash of rage threatening to show for just a moment. He bundled Will even closer and whispered into Will’s hair, “I’ll never stop loving you, Zeus himself will have to turn me to stone and cast me to the stars and even then my love would shine only for you.” He meant every word, but his sweet one had fallen asleep so he continued to hold him tight and fend off the nightmares for the rest of the night.

**Author's Note:**

> I love to hear from you so please leave a little comment below so I can flail at you and send you all the lovin'
> 
> You can find me at [Tumblr](https://whataboutthefish.tumblr.com/) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/WhatFishie) I'm always keen to chat all things Hannigram!


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